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Monday, February 10, 2014

The Insanity of Distraction

Have you ever just felt so distracted in your mind that
everything around you is sort of cast in a pale ghostly hue? You hear imaginary
music playing in the background like a broken record player or a radio stuck
between the dials.

I mean you feel this kind of weight that you can’t see but
you feel as real as the very breath you take.

It’s scary and just plain old shivery distracting.

Who can feel at peace when that is what you feel and see, right?

Recently
I have been experiencing this particular phenomenon.

It seems that every place I turn I feel the weight of who I
was popping up to drown the weightlessness of who I actually am.

I know who I am because His word tells me who I am, but in
these times the voice of the enemy seems to be louder and more sinister feeling
than a 1920’s black and white silent movie.

I’m just curious if this happens to you as well?

One moment you are floating around on that proverbial cloud
nine and the next it feels like it is actually sitting on you.

As a wife and mom, a full time employee, a youth leader and a
worship leader, I often have to remind myself that the number one killer to my
life is distraction.

Oh how
easily I am distracted all the while knowing I absolutely hate distraction.

I would say especially if, but you see that would be a lie. I
don’t like distraction period in any form.

I think that it is rude behavior and gives off the idea that
your interruption is more important than what I happen to be doing at the
moment. Unless someone is dying, or in an extreme emergency situation I think
it is rude and inconsiderate.

Before you close the browser and say well golly she’s mean.
Give me a chance to explain myself.

My
number one places to be distracted: (Maybe this will soften your heart a little
bit) J

1)The bathroom ~ I go to
the bathroom and the whole family follows me. I mean like seriously, this
family gathering couldn’t wait 5 minutes.

2)I am right in the middle of cooking ~ Putting
something in the oven, or taking something out. I could be pouring a hot bowl of
liquid in the drainer etc... Or
cutting up meat or vegetables. I guess my personal favorite is when I have to
stop and check out the bathroom where my son is screaming my name so loud the
neighbors surely think I’m hurting him, while in the middle of stirring a cake,
cookies or brownies or pie. (yea, you have to stop wash your hands only to find
out it is You Tube related)… you know gee, I really have to look at Mr. Lego
smash Mr. Business man right now, seriously!

3)Right in the middle of practice~ (worship)
this by far is the most frustrating thing to me because you are interrupting my
God time. This is satans personal favorite time to distract me. Usually I get
mad and that blows God moving in the spirit whatsoever, so I quit and satan
wins every time.

4)Driving ~ NOT a good place for
distraction, most of the time I won’t answer the phone so don’t call. Distractions
here that absolutely make me see green, blue and black all at the same time are
drivers who weave in & out of traffic. You know the ones that get so close
you can see the lint on the back of their shirts (not literally, but close). These
are the ones who are so distracted they can’t remember to use signal lights,
get in the proper turning lanes or even bother stopping at Red lights.

5)Working (I’m in timekeeping) Not
a good time for people to distract me. Distract me now and chances are you aren’t
going to like your check at the end of the week. Just saying!

6)Reading ~ this one is also personal
because when I read, when I get the chance to read I should say, I get lost in
the book and I find that I’m constantly having to crawl out of it just to make
your sentences coherent.

7)Sleeping~ any mom knows this to
be true, right along with #1. Have you ever woken up with your child’s face
mere inches from your own? It is a definite miracle of God that children survive
these things. Talk about a distraction, you scream then they scream and sleep
gets forgotten for the rest of the night.

I was thinking about all these natural distractions that we
encounter day to day that leaves us so flabbergasted that we can’t think.

I think about all those spiritual distractions we encounter
moment to moment that sometimes rob us of our will to live.

I wonder why it is that when it occurs in the natural most
times we don’t feel it is fatal, yet when it happens in the spiritual we
totally freak out.

I totally freak out, just saying. Maybe you don’t and I’m
really happy for you, but I totally freak out.

Boy he sure is a messy devil don’t you think? He’s always
sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.

Telling lies he knows we will believe and then when we land
flat on our bottom he’s there to make sure we feel every weight of sin and
shame he can lay on us.

His greatest accomplishment he has distracted us from God.

Unlike our children, our friends or coworkers, he is really out to harm you rather
than to do you any good.

I Peter 5:8

He
really wants to devour you, distraction is his bait.

Our children, our friends and coworkers are not really out to
distract us; it is the common bond of knowing each other that allows the
moments of distracted interaction.

For the most part we don’t pay anyone much attention and they
are easily forgiven and quickly forgotten.

I wonder if we could turn that same idea to the great enemy
of our souls and tell him to take a flying leap, right off into that bottomless
pit.

If we could just turn around with all the fire and ice we
give others at times and tell that old slithering, dusty windbag “Take a flying
leap” what would our lives look like?

What greater things could God accomplish within us if we quit
letting that night crawler steal our moments of peace and joy.

Quit letting him ask us “Hath God said? Of course God said,
now satan go crawl off to your hole and shut up!

Sometimes I think if I had more love for God I would have
less fascination with satan. I heard that gasp! You are thinking I’m turning
dark, so let me qualify that with this.

The
more time I focus on him the less time I am focused on God, the less time I am
focused on God the less I feel peaceful. The less peaceful I feel the more
distracted I am, the more distracted I am the greater the chance I will say or
do something I didn’t really think through.

When that happens, when I let satan distract me to the point
I’m no longer focused on Christ, I ‘m sure enough in a mess.

Jesus said where your treasure is there will your hear be
also. Matthew 6:21

Who is supposed to be the treasure here?

Christ, The Lord is the treasure.

Have you ever been able to distract someone who fully focused
on someone else?

Me either! So maybe, instead of watching this crafty deceiver
with eyes of fascination, wondering what he will do the next time. I simply
need to ignore him all together and fasten my eyes securely on The Lord.

If I
lock eyes with The Lord nothing on earth above or beneath will be able to
distract me.

He can throw a million weighty clouds on me and I’m so
intently focused on The Lord I don’t have time to give heed to a fool and his
foolish words.

Whatever is distracting you today throw it down, The Lord is
not a distraction He is the focus.

If you feel yourself distracted by anyone or anything, walk
away. The lord is not a distraction He is the focus!

Psalms 17:15 as for me, I will behold thy face in
righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

I could list many others, however for time sake I will not~

Look up at The Lord, close your eyes to the enemy and all the
distractions will go away, in the light of His beautiful face!